Sterilizer



l atent ecl June 16, 1931 UNITED STATES PA ENT oFFicE GEROIME TRUPILANO,F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK srneILIz'aR Application filed October 4, 1930.Serial No. 486,327.

- This invention relates to sterilizers, and has particular reference todevices of this character which are used for sterilizing towels.

One object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterdescribed having an improved article receiving cabinet and water tank'ofa unitary construction.

- Another object of the invention is theprovision of an articlereceiving cabinet hav- 1o ingimproved shelving for supporting the steamgenerating tank in improved associa-- tion and connection witheach-other.

Another object of the invention is to furnish a supporting baseconnected in an improved and'reenforcing manner with the water tank. 7

Another object is to furnish an improved radiating perforated plate toimpart heat to the water tank, and avoid excessive wear 2 thereon; alsoan improved means for mounting the grate. i

Another object is to construct a sterilizer having improved means forventing steam from the same; alsoimproved means for filling water intothe steam generating tank. 1

A further object is to furnish'a sterilizer having few and simple parts,and which is inexpensive to manufacture and assemble, may be made ofsheet metal, and is rugged, as reliable, and efficient in use.

Other objects and'advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe specification proceeds. Y

With the aforesaid objects in View, the in 40 vention consists in thenovel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter describedin'their preferred embodiments, pointed out in the su-bjoined claims,and illustrated on the annexed. drawings, wherein like parts are 0designated by the same reference characters throughout the severalviews.

In the drawings; 7 Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a sterilizerembodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof taken on line 22of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a cabinet shelf.

Fig. 41 is a plan view of a radiation plate.

Fig. is an enlarged fragmentary sec-' tlonal vlew showing a jointbetween the water tank, the cabinet and the radiatorplate.

The advantages of the invention as hereoutlined are best realized whenall of its features and instrumentalities are combined in one and thesame structure, but, useful devices may be produced embodying less thanthe Whole. v a

It will be obvious tothose skilled in the art to' which this inventionappcrtains, that a the samemay be incorporated in several differentconstructions. The accompanying ddrawings, therefore, is submittedmerely-as showing the preferred exemplification of the invention.

Referring in detailto the drawings,'10'de-' notes a deviceembodying theinvention. The same maybe regarded as a means for cleaning,disinfecting,'or heat treating various articles, but a specific functionthereof is to sterilize articles such astowels, by the action of steam.

The terms used herein are to be given acorrespondingscope.

The sterilizer 10 may include a container or cabinet 11 for receivingarticles which are to be sterilized, a water tank or steam generator 12,a base 13, and heating means 14.. While I the cabinet and water tankmaybe separately constructed, they'are preferably of a unitary nature,and may include integral side and rear walls 15, 16. The latter may bemade of any suitable materialand insulated in any desired manner,-butthey may consist merely of sheets of metal fabricated in asuitablemanner. The base 13 may be any feasible "type of support, but preferablyconsists of a sheet metal enclosure including walls that may be 5 intheplanes ofthe walls of the water tank 12. Angles 17 secured, to thebase support transverse bars 18, upon which rests any desired heatingmeans, forinstance, a gas burner 19. The latter may be-connected bypipes 20 with a source of fuel gas. To admit air to the burner and ventthe burnt gases, openings 21 may be provided in the side walls of thebase.

Superimposed above the burner is a radiation plate 22 havingperforations 23. This plate may be made of a high temperature metal, andprevents any flames from contacting the tank, so that the latter mayunder no circumstance be burned. More important still, the radiatorplate functions as a distributor to cause an even heating of the watertank and consequently an even and quiet boiling and generation of steam.

WVhile the water tank 12 may be variously secured to the base, it ispreferred to position the plate 22 on the base, with edges incoincidence, and then the water tank on the plate. A strap 24 may beextended around the oint line, and the base and water tank secured tosaid straps by bolts or rivets 25, providing what is in the nature of abutt joint 26. The bottom 27, of the water tank, which may be flanged at28 may be simultaneously secured by said rivets 25. Thus a simple andcompact j ointis provided.

The plates 15 and 16 constituting the side and: rear walls of thecabinet and water tank extend to the top of the former, and have a topwall 29 secured thereto in any suitable manner, as by angles 30. Thecabinet and water tank may also have a continuous integral front wall31, but the same is provided with openings 32, closedby one or moredoors 33, whereby articles to be sterilized may be placed into thecabinet, and subjected to the action of steam when the doors are closed.lVliile these doors are hingedly mounted at 34, have glass panes 35,suitable latches 36, and close against a central strike element 37 whichmay be integral with said front wall, suffice it to say that the doorsare generally speaking so arranged as to close the door openings 32 andto have closure coaction with the edge portion 38 of the front wall ofthe water tank.

The above described arrangement causes the water tank to havecommunication with the cabinet over the entire area of both, and withoutobstruction of any kind. The steam as it rises from the water tank maydirectly flow upward into the cabinet in, through, and aroundthearticles therein.

The cabinet may have shelves 39 therein, each of which may include a;frame 40 and a rustless wire mesh or netting 41 connected across theframe. The shelves may rest upon angles 42 secured to the side and rearwalls of the cabinet. By means of these perforated shelves, articlessuch as towels may be supported in individual relation, or otherwise onthe shelves and fully sterilize, with the steam passing through allparts of the shelves.

In order to permit a quantity of steam to be vented from the cabinet, toassure a constant flow of steam therethrough, a suitable valve means 43may be provided. For this purpose a portion of the upper wall 29 of thecabinet may be perforated at 44, and a plate valve 45 slidingly mountedon guides 46 for snugly moving along the underside of said wall. Theplate valve may have a portion 47 extending outside of the cabinetthrough a suitable opening, said portion being bent to afford a handholdfor manipulation of the valve.

The valve means 43 permits the vent area to be adjusted as desired, sothat a pressure condition of the steam may be maintained in thesterilizer, while venting a small amount of the steam into theatmosphere. Since the vent is at the extreme top of the sterilizer, andin substantially central relation therein, a maximum travelandsterilizing action of the steam is assured. The perforated shelvesandthe articles that may be positioned thereon also break up the fiow ofsteam and serve to cause distribution thereof.

lVater may be supplied to the water tank in any desired manner. Forexample, a spout like member or guide trough 48 may be connected to aside wall ofthe water tank to communicate therewith, at a suitableelevation. A closure 49 may be provided for the inlet, which may, forsimplicity, consist of a cap pivotally mounted at. 50 on the said wallso as to close the inlet by the action of gravity.

To indicate the water level in the tank 12,

a water gage 51 of any conventional type may be connected to the watertank, as by elbows 52, within which the ends of the glass may be packed.

It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications may bemade in the device as shown in the drawings, and that the same issubmitted in an illustrative and not in a. limiting sense, the scope ofthe invention being defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A sterilizer including a container having perforated shelves forsupporting articles to be sterilized, a water tank communicating withsaid container, said water tank and said container having certain wallsthereof of continuous integral construction, a base supporting the watertank and having the walls thereof in the plane of the walls of the watertank, a radiation plate secured between the edges of the said containerandVsa-id base, a strap extending around the line of junction of thewater tank and the base, means securing the water tank and base to thestrap, and heating means in the base in relative proximity to theradiation plate.

2. A sterilizer including an article containing cabinet and a water tanksuperimposed upon each other and having rear and side walls lying in thesame upright planes, the rear and side walls of the water tank andcabinet being respectively integral, the cabinet having a doorconstituting the front wall CPI thereof, said door having closurecoaction with the water tank,and heating means for ,i said water tank,and a base enclosing said heating means and having walls lying in theplanes oi the walls of the water tank, the walls of said cabinet, watertank and base being made of sheet metal, and a strap extendlng aroundthe joint between the water tank and the base and ooacting to form abutt connection between the latter. 7 In testimony whereof I aflix mysignature;

GEROME TRUPIANO.

